Betting His Love
by honeymango
Summary: If she wins his heart, she wins a hundred galleons. If he lets her, he has to wear a dress. Sound like fun? Lily and Sirius love story.
1. The First Bet

A/N: hi people! this is my second harry potter story, the first one i kinda quit on cuz the story plot was going nowhere. but this time i have a much better idea of wat im gonna write, i even have an ending (i just gotta figure out how to get there). so please read and review, and i hope u enjoy:)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Harry Potter...but if i did i know wat me and Draco would be doin :)

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"God Lily, you need to lighten up, you're always so uptight. All you ever do is study. I've never seen you flirt with a guy, do you even know how?"

The other girls in the compartment cracked up at Jenna's teasing remark, but Lily Evans was unamused. She was on the Hogwarts train, heading to her final year at school, in a carriage full of her friends, and they were all laughing at her. She resisted the urge to blush and chose instead to glare at the girl sitting across from her. Jenna Andrews was everything most girls wanted to be: smart, popular, and of course, gorgeous as hell. She and Lily had been friends since their 3rd year, but that didn't stop Lily from being jealous.

Jenna smirked when she saw her angry look, knowing she was pushing her buttons just right. "I was just wondering, ya know. I mean, we've never had any proof that you even know how to flirt."

"Of course I know how to flirt," Lily replied defensively. "Just because I don't spend all my time obsessing over boys doesn't mean I'm uptight."

"Yeah, but when's the last time you actually had a boyfriend?" questioned Katie McClain, a petite Irish blonde that was a year younger.

Lily frowned slightly, trying to remember. "Last summer, I guess, when I went out with Percy Williams."

Jenna grinned. "First of all, that was two summers ago Lily. And second, you and Percy went on a grand total of two dates, and one of them was with his parents. We're talking about a real boyfriend, a serious relationship. When's the last time you had one of those?"

Lily looked away, knowing Jenna was right. She'd never had a relationship, let alone a serious one. She had always been too busy with her schoolwork to bother with dating. But maybe her friends were right. Maybe it was time for her to start acting like a normal teenager, complete with raging hormones.

She glanced up at Jenna, who was watching her with a sly grin. "I've got a proposition for you Lil."

Lily eyed her friend warily, not sure if she could trust her. "I'm listening," she said cautiously.

"I bet you a hundred Galleons that you can't get yourself a boyfriend by the end of the month."

Lily laughed. "Easy! I'll have one by the end of the week."

"Not so fast," Jenna smiled. "There are conditions."

The other girls smirked, knowing Jenna was about to make the game a whole lot more interesting.

"First of all, you're not allowed to tell him about the bet. You're not gonna get any pity boyfriends that just wanna help you out. And you can't bribe him into dating you either."

"Like I would ever do that!" Lily exclaimed in an offended voice.

Jenna's smile broadened. "Let me finish," she commanded. She paused to glance at the other girls, as if to gather their support, and then continued. "Secondly, you can't use any magic. No love spells or potions. You have to play fair."

Lily nodded her consent.

"Thirdly, it has to be a serious relationship. He has to be in love with you, or at least pretty damn close. You can't just hook up with him. He has to actually ask you to be his girlfriend."

Lily rolled her eyes. "This is getting ridiculous. Why don't you just write me a bloody manual and be done with it?"

Jenna smiled indulgently. "I'm almost finished. The final rule is that it can't just be any boy. You have to win the heart of the sexiest, coolest, and most popular guy in the entire school."

Lily's eyes widened. _She can't mean who I think she means…_

Jenna grinned as if she could read her mind. "That's right. You have to win Sirius Black."

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ok, now u gotta review and tell me wat u think! love ya:) 


	2. Girl On A Mission

A/N: So I was actually kinda surprised to find out that there aren't that many Sirius and Lily fics out there. They kinda seem like such an obvious couple. Ppl so far have told me my idea is really original, which I don't really think of it as being. Like, I've read some really good HP fics with some really cool plot lines, and mine seems kinda dull in comparison. But if u guys like it, who am I to argue? Lol, thanks so much to everyone who sent me reviews, I love u all. Feel free to send me constructive critisism or ideas, its really helpful. Keep reading and enjoy!

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Sirius couldn't believe he was actually starting his final year at Hogwarts. He strode confidently through the crowded train station, greeting and slapping hands with his friends and fellow students. He paused to wink at a nearby group of girls who were watching him. A pretty redhead winked back with an admiring smile. 

"You're a cocky son of a bitch," a voice rang out behind him. Sirius turned to see his best friend, James Potter, grinning as he ran one hand through his messy black hair, causing it to stick up even more.

Sirius grinned back. "Look who's talking Mr. Quidditch champ."

They slapped hands and James slipped him a small bottle of firewhiskey. Sirius cocked an eyebrow.

"Stole it from my cousin," James said with a shrug "Thought you might want some."

Sirius laughed. "You know me too well." He slipped the bottle into his pocket. "I'll save it for later."

James nodded. "Better not let Remus see though, he'll pop a screw if he finds us drinking."

"Yeah, he can be a right pain sometimes," Sirius said with a smile. "Always going on about following the rules."

"Talking about me already, are ya?" Remus walked over with a casual grin, his pale hair hanging sloppily in his eyes.

Sirius slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Yeah, but at least were honest about it. It'd be worse if we were calling you a prat behind your back, wouldn't it?"

Remus chuckled dryly. "I supposed it would."

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"I can't believe it."

Lily and Katie had just stepped off the train and were walking towards the horseless carriages waiting to take them onto Hogwarts' grounds. The sky was dark but clear and the cool night air swept through the chattering crowd of students.

"I can't believe she just challenged you to win Sirius. And I really can't believe you actually agreed to it."

Lily nodded. "I know, it's so unlike me. Maybe I should just back out."

"No way," Katie replied. "There's no way I'm letting you back out. This is just what you need to make your last year of school a little more interesting."

"Yeah, but how am I gonna do it?" Lily sighed. "I'm not exactly good at flirting."

"Just be yourself. And if that doesn't work," Katie added. "You can always try some good old-fashioned sex appeal."

Lily laughed loudly. "Me? Come on Kate, I have less than zero sex appeal."

Katie winked slyly. "That's where I come in."

The noise in the Great Hall was deafening as students crowded in, eager to find their seats and begin dinner.

"Come on," Katie muttered. "Let's go sit near them so you can start working your magic."

She grabbed her arm and stepped forward but Lily pulled back.

"I can't do it! I don't know how to flirt!" She looked around desperately as she tried to pull away from Katie's grasp. "I must have been crazy to agree to this!"

Katie shook her head. "You're not crazy, you're just nervous."

"Damn right I'm nervous! He's the most popular boy in school Kate! And I'm just a silly little bookworm. What makes you think he'll want to pay any attention to me?"

Katie sighed. "Alright, calm down. Tonight we'll just play it easy, talk to him and get to know him a bit. We'll save the major flirting for later."

Lily relaxed and stopped trying to escape. "Yeah, alright. Talking…I can do that."

They walked over to the Gryffindor table and took seats across from Sirius and James. Remus soon came over, followed closely by a small mousy boy. Lily was pretty sure his name was Peter, and he seemed to follow James and Sirius wherever they went.

Katie leaned toward Lily. "Doesn't Sirius look good?" she whispered. "I mean, they're all handsome, but Sirius has something special, don't ya think?"

Lily nodded. Sirius did look incredibly sexy, his dark hair falling casually into his face as he talked. His eyes gleamed, reflecting the light from the candles floating around the room, and they looked almost black. He stretched, and Lily could see the outline of his lean muscles through his robe. It was hard not to admire him, as she knew many other girls in the room were doing as well.

"If I may have your attention please?" Dumbledore's voice rang out and the hall silenced immediately. "Welcome to what I'm sure will be another fine year at Hogwarts! I am pleased to see so many familiar faces within this room. I am also pleased that many of our beloved teachers have returned to us again. I'm sure they are just as excited to start classes tomorrow as all of you are."

"They must be dreading it then." Sirius said quietly. James and Remus grinned and Peter burst into appreciative laughter. Lily and Katie exchanged a silent smile but said nothing.

Dumbledore continued his speech, giving reminders that the Forbidden Forest was still forbidden, and that any student caught with a prohibited object would be punished by Filch. Lily's mind began to wander as the first years made their way to the front of the room to be sorted into their respective houses. She had no idea how she was going to catch Sirius's attention. As far as she knew, he usually went for flashy flirtatious girls. He didn't date them for long though. He seemed to get bored easily, always looking for a new girl to play with. And according to gossip, he'd slept with at least half the girls in Gryffindor. Lily didn't want to become another name on a long list of conquests. She had to find a way to earn his respect as well as his affection.

Her head snapped up as the hall resounded with clapping. The first years had been sorted, and most of them looked frightened and bewildered. "They seem to get smaller every year, don't they?" Lily said to Katie.

Sirius looked up and smiled. "Your right, they do. Or maybe it's just us getting bigger." He eyed her curiously. "Lily, isn't it? Lily Evans?"

She blushed faintly. "Yes, that's me."

He winked. "Yeah, I remember you. You got more OWLS than anyone else in our 5th year. Must have spent the whole year in the library to pull that one off." He turned back to James and began talking about his summer. Lily's heart sank. He'd lost interest in her much too quickly. She would have to find a way to show him she was more than just a bookworm.

"Hey, you boys love Quidditch, don't you?" she called across the table. Sirius and James looked up at her with curious expressions. "Course we do," Sirius said. "There's no better sport in the world."

"Well, how bout teaching me to play?" Lily held her breath, hoping he would agree. It was the only thing she could think of to prove her worth.

Sirius and James exchanged a quick glance. "You want us to teach you?" James asked her.

"Yes, that's exactly what I want." She was talking to James but she looked at Sirius, challenging him with her eyes. "How bout it?"

They exchanged another wordless glance before Sirius nodded. "Alright, we'll teach you. Meet us 9:00 tomorrow morning, and wear something warm." He gave her a small grin. "I'm warning you though, Quidditch isn't a sport that girls ordinarily like to play."

Lily smiled mischievously. "Well I'm not an ordinary girl."


	3. The Second Bet

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update, but i've had a really busy summmer, and not a lot of time to write. i finished this chapter up yesterday, and i hope u enjoy it! and remember, im totally winging this, so if things dont make sense feel free to tell me.

Disclaimer: u know the drill ppl...sue me and u get slapped.

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Lily woke up early the next morning, her heart pounding with excitement. Through her window she could see typical September weather, with a blue sky and puffy white clouds. She climbed out of bed and dressed herself in a tight black turtleneck and her favorite jeans. Her hair was quickly pulled into a ponytail after she shrugged into a comfy blue hoodie. A quick dash of lip gloss and she was ready.

Sirius paced through the Great Hall, getting impatient as he waited for Lily to arrive.

"Where is she?" he asked James. "Didn't we tell her to be here at 9:00?"

James glanced at his watch. "Yeah, but it's only 9:05. She's not that late."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "But we've got Potions later this morning. I don't have time to teach girls Quidditch if they're going to be late."

"Don't worry, here she comes."

Sirius looked up and for a second his heart raced. "Wow," he muttered. "She cleans up pretty good."

James nodded his agreement. "Yeah, she does." He glanced at Sirius from the corner of his eye and grinned. "I know that look. Don't even think about it."

Sirius cocked an eyebrow. "Don't even think about what?" he asked innocently.

"Don't even think about trying to hook up with Lily."

Sirius shook his head with a sly smile. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Lily noticed Sirius and James watching her as she stepped into the Great Hall, and she smoothed down her jacket self-consciously. She suddenly felt nervous, remembering that the only other time she'd ever been on a broom had been Madame Hooch's flying class in her first year. _Please don't let me embarrass myself in front of Sirius,_ she prayed silently as she stopped in front of them.

James smiled at her. "Morning!" he said cheerfully. "Ready for your lesson?"

Lily nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Sirius winked at her. "Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to you." He and James exchanged a glance and both grinned.

_Oh God,_ Lily thought, _what have I gotten myself into?_

"No Lily, you have to roll with the broom! Don't try to control it, just let it flow! Bend down farther, you're causing too much wind resistance! Now lean forward! No, not like that!"

Sirius shook his head in exasperation and Lily groaned. James was trying to teach her some simple flying tricks and Sirius was coaching from below. They'd been working for almost 2 hours and Lily felt she'd been getting steadily worse as time went on.

"That's it!" she cried. "I need a break." She landed on the grass and lay on her back, thoroughly exhausted.

Sirius flopped down next to her. "You're not that bad you know."

Lily groaned. "I'm horrible. The Ministry should ban me from flying. They could make it a law."

James chuckled as he sat on her other side. "Why would the Ministry want to do that?"

"Because I'm a danger to other flyers! I'll probably knock some poor fool off his broom and he'll fall to his death."

Sirius smiled gently. "No really, you're fine for a beginner. And you haven't seriously injured anyone yet."

"Oh yeah?" Lily said indignantly. "What about when I accidentally hit James' nose with the front of my broom? What was that?"

Sirius laughed. "Oh yeah, that did look painful mate."

James rubbed his nose ruefully. "It was painful." He glanced at Lily and quickly stopped. "Oh, I mean, it's ok. It only hurt a little really." He smiled weakly.

She rolled her eyes and turned to Sirius. "See? I'm a danger to everyone around me!"

Sirius shook his head. "Maybe we should quit for today. Lessons start soon anyways."

Lily stood up slowly and dusted herself off. "Yeah, alright. I'll see you guys in class." With a quick wave, she headed towards the castle.

Sirius sighed. "She's really pretty, isn't she?"

James laughed. "Sure, of course she is. But it doesn't matter. I know you, and in a week you'll be on to the next girl, and you'll have forgotten she even exists."

Sirius glared at his friend. "I'm not that shallow."

"Yes you are," James said with a pointed look at Sirius. "And you know it. You don't give a damn about any of these girls. You just like to show off, be the big man on campus."

Sirius picked at a flower growing next to him, unconsciously tearing it apart. James noticed the sign of pent-up anger and but decided to ignore it.

"Sorry to tell you this way mate, but you're a bit of an ass."

Sirius looked up at James with an angry stare. "What, and you think you're any better? You may not have had as many girls as me, but you've treated them just as callously."

"What do you mean 'not as many girls as you'? What exactly are you implying?" James said with a sneer. "If anything, I've had more girls than you!"

Sirius laughed. "You wish! You're a bit of a joke when it comes to the ladies mate."

James jumped up quickly. "You bloody prick! Take that back!" he cried out angrily.

Sirius got up as well. "Why should I take back the truth?" he said coldly. "You couldn't get a girl if your life depended on it!"

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" James said as he took a step forward, his hands balled up into tight fists.

Sirius looked away indifferently. "What did you have in mind?"

"A wager between the two of us. Whoever can get a certain girl in bed by the end of the month wins a hundred Galleons. And the loser has to dress like a girl for a week."

"Deal!" Sirius cried easily, reaching out to shake James' hand. "I'll have one by tonight." He grinned at James. "Too bad Muggle objects don't work on school grounds, cuz I'd sure love to have a picture of you in that dress."

James shook his head. "Not so fast. I get to choose which girl you have to sleep with. And since you're suddenly so interested in Lily, I think the best person for you to try and win would have to be…her friend Katie." James smiled wickedly. "Makes it more interesting, don't you think?"

Sirius gave James a haughty look and shrugged. "Fine. Not a problem." He raised an eyebrow pointedly. "But since I'm winning Katie, you'll have to win Lily. And it'll take a bit more than your dumb luck to sleep with the kind of girl who spends her life in the library. They're notoriously hard to get when it comes to sex.

James laughed angrily. "I've got a hell of a lot more than 'dumb luck' when it comes to girls. And you'll realize that when you're handing me a bag of Galleons, wearing a dress and heels!" He turned and stormed across the grounds, trying to control the urge to run back and punch Sirius in his smug little face.

Sirius watched him go, wondering whether he'd made a mistake. If he lost, he'd have to fork over a lot of money to James, and bear public humiliation for a week. But Lily wouldn't be very happy to hear he'd slept with her friend, since she seemed to want to be with him herself. It would ruin any chances he had with her. The two sides of the situation raged in his mind, giving him a headache, but he pushed his doubts out of the way. _Lily can take care of herself, _he thought heartlessly. _I can't let James win, he'll never let me live it down. And if that means Lily gets hurt, then I guess that's how it is._

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Don't forget to review:)


	4. James Won't Be Outdone

Sorry about the long break between chapters, but I had a really busy period when i couldn't write anything, and now i have a lot more time. I've probably lost most of former readers, but hopefully i can reach some new readers instead. Hope you like my new chapters! 

Disclaimer: Don't own anything...blah blah blah... too bad for me.

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Sirius wandered down the hallway that led to Gryffindor's common room. He had just finished dinner, where he'd sat through a very long and boring conversation with Peter about whether mice were cleaner than rats. Remus and Peter had both decided to stay neutral during Sirius and James' fight, choosing instead to switch back and forth between them. Tonight Remus had sat with James, but he would probably sit with Sirius the next morning.

"Not that it really matters," Sirius muttered under his breath as he came towards the painting of the Fat Lady. He couldn't care less who he sat with during meals. For now, all he cared about was proving to James that he was better. And that meant winning the affection of Katie McClain.

"Hello gorgeous," he said to the Fat Lady. She smiled lovingly and opened without a sound. The Fat Lady was one of the many female paintings around the castle that adored Sirius. They found him irresistibly charming, and he was easily able to get through many of them without a password.

He climbed through the portrait hole and noticed Katie and Lily sitting by the fire. Lily's hair gleamed in the soft light, and Sirius could feel his heart beat faster as she unconsciously bit her lip. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the unwelcome thoughts racing through. No matter how beautiful she was, Sirius had made a bet, and the bet said she was off limits. He glanced over at Katie, sizing her up.

_She's not bad looking, _he thought as he watched her. _Reasonably pretty face, blonde hair, blue eyes, small enough to be cute but not too small. I've dated worse. And all I have to do is sleep with her. So why is this so hard?_

More than anything, Sirius wanted to walk over, pull Lily into his arms, and kiss her. And even though Katie was a perfectly nice girl, she just didn't compare to Lily.

"Giving up already?" James said quietly as he climbed through the portrait hole behind Sirius. "I thought it would take you at least a full day."

His face tightened as he turned toward James. "Not giving up, mate. Just waiting for you to show up so you can witness your defeat. It makes the whole game so much more fun." He turned back and stepped towards Katie, determined to prove his friend wrong, no matter what the consequences.

"Would you like to take a walk?"

Katie looked surprised as she stared up at Sirius. He focused completely on her, trying to ignore the hurt expression on Lily's face.

"Um, sure," Katie said, glancing over at her friend. "I mean, if you don't mind, Lil."

Lily quickly tried to hide her distress. "Why would I mind?" she said casually as she picked a book off a nearby table and pretended to read.

"Great." Sirius smiled and offered Katie his arm. She stood up and took it, blushing slightly. Together they walked out through the still-open portrait hole.

James stared after them for a second, slightly surprised that Sirius had actually made a move. _Well if he can do it, so can I, _he thought. He walked towards the fire and sat down in the now empty chair next to Lily.

"You look a little upset," he murmured, touching her arm lightly. "Hope you're not letting Sirius get to you."

She pulled away and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about James. I'm not upset. I'm just tired. "

"Oh really?" he asked. "Just tired? Not at all upset that Sirius just asked Katie to go for a walk with him?"

She gave him a dirty look. "No, because I really couldn't care less who Sirius wants to walk with."

James nodded. "All right. In that case, how would you like to go with me to the Hogsmeade visit next week?"

Lily looked at James with surprise. She had never paid much attention to him before, but he seemed like a nice guy. Much more dependable than Sirius, and just as cute, but in a scruffy way. While Sirius looked like he was ready for a photo shoot, James usually looked like he'd just rolled out of bed, but Lily found that kind of attractive. _It wouldn't hurt to get to know him a little better._

"Sure James, that sounds like fun" she said with a smile as she stood up and walked towards the girl's dormitory.

He smiled back, already envisioning his bag of gold and Sirius's humiliation. "Perfect."

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Don't forget to review! 


	5. A Day Out

Hope you like this chapter too! 

Disclaimer: It's actually very depressing that I don't own Harry Potter, so I think I'll go cry now.

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A week passed by quickly for Lily, and before she knew it, the morning of the Hogsmeade visit had arrived. The night before she had realized that flirting with James might make Sirius jealous, so she dressed herself in a lacy white top with a jean jacket and a light blue skirt. She slipped into her favorite black flats and then sat down in front of her vanity mirror. She played with her hair, wondering what she could do with it. She usually wore it in a ponytail so it wouldn't get in her way, but now she needed a new style. Looking around the dormitory, she noticed a Muggle fashion magazine lying on the floor near her bed. She picked it up and flipped through the pages, but she stopped when something caught her eye. _That's perfect… _

James paced the common room, glancing up at the magical clock above the fireplace every few minutes. He was surprised that he was somewhat nervous about his date with Lily. Usually he could flirt with girls easily, but he had a feeling that talking with Lily would be harder.

He glanced up at the clock again, but turned around when he heard a door opening. Looking up the staircase to the girl's dormitory, he couldn't believe his eyes. Lily had transformed herself from a pretty but unnoticeable girl into a beautiful bombshell. Her dark red hair hung over her shoulders in shiny, touchable waves and her green eyes sparkled. Her outfit was cute and flirty, and James couldn't help noticing how well it fit her curves. He could hardly believe this was the same girl he'd asked out a week ago.

Lily smiled to herself as she watched James stare at her. _He's practically drooling over me,_ she thought smugly. She walked down the steps slowly, relishing the attention.

"Ready to go then?" she asked James as she placed her hand lightly against his arm.

By the time they'd arrived at Hogsmeade, it was crowded with students. Lily and James walked down the main road, their arms loosely linked, looking at the various shops and cottages. Lily pointed to the Three Broomsticks.

"How about stopping in for a butterbeer?"

They stepped through the doors of the small inn, and were greeted by many of their fellow students. James waved at various friends before leading Lily towards a table in the back. Madame Rosmerta, the innkeeper, quickly came to take their drink orders, and was soon back with two steaming mugs of butterbeer.

James lifted his mug and clinked it gently against Lily's. "To us, and a well deserved vacation."

Lily laughed. "A vacation? We've only been in school for a couple weeks, how can you think we deserve a vacation already?"

"Well," James said lightly, "I don't know about you, but I've been working very hard. With all the picture taking and autograph signing…it's very exhausting."

Lily laughed again. "Yes, I've noticed how popular you are, it must be hard keeping your reputation so perfect."

James scrunched up his nose in embarrassment. "I really wouldn't call it a reputation…"

"Really?" Lily questioned. "Because that's exactly what I'd call it. I mean, you're captain of the Quidditch team, and you're one of the most popular guys in school. You have tons of friends and tons of girls…" She trailed off quietly.

"I guess what I'm asking is, with all that, why are you here with me?"

James looked up at her, unsure what to say, but before he could think of a response, Sirius was standing next to the table with Katie on his arm.

"Hey mate, haven't seen much of you lately. Mind if we sit?" Sirius sat down without leave and scooted a nearby chair against his before pulling Katie into it. He nodded a hello towards Lily. "So what have you two been up to?"

James cleared his throat meaningfully. "We were have a chat, actually."

"Really?" Sirius said. "Wasn't aware you two were such good friends."

Lily looked at him disdainfully. "Well, I wasn't aware you and Katie were either."

Katie blushed and looked away, but Sirius merely grinned. "Turns out we have a lot in common. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we became a bit more than friends, if you know what I mean." He winked at James.

Lily turned away, unable to keep a hurt look from crossing her face. She didn't know why she cared so much. It wasn't just about the bet with Jenna either. She'd really started to like Sirius during that first flying lesson. He was smart and funny and even when he was being an ass, he was irresistibly sexy. Still, she couldn't let him take control of her emotions. Now was the perfect time to work on making him jealous.

"Actually, James and I feel the same way about each other," she said, grabbing his hand and smiling happily. "Isn't that right?"

James looked at their hands with surprise, but didn't pull away. "Uh, yeah, we do." He wasn't sure why Lily was suddenly so enthusiastic, but it wouldn't hurt to have Sirius think there was something between them. "Just couldn't be happier."

For a second, Sirius looked cross, but it quickly passed. Smiling, he stood up and took Katie's hand. "Well, we'll just leave you two lovebirds alone then. Have fun!" He waved before pulling Katie away.

Lily began feeling awkward the moment he'd left. Her hand was still loosely grasping James's, but she didn't know how to pull away without seeming rude. She'd grabbed his hand impulsively, but she didn't really have any strong feelings towards James. He was a nice guy, but she just wasn't that attracted to him.

Lily cleared her throat to break the silence. "So, what do you think about going over to Honeydukes next?" she asked. "I've been craving Chocolate Frogs for weeks!"

"Sure," James responded absentmindedly, "but I think we should start back after that." He was starting to feel a little weird about the situation he was in. The bet had stopped seeming like a good idea, and was starting to become a hassle. He didn't like lying to Lily about his intentions, and he knew she would eventually find out. Was the bet really worth it? James opened his mouth to say something and somehow explain to Lily what was going on, but shut it a moment later. An image of Sirius's smug face had flashed through his mind. No way could he let Sirius win, no matter how bad he felt for Lily. He wanted to prove he was better than his friend was, and this was the only way to do it. _Suck it up,_ he thought to himself. _It'll all be worth it in the end._


End file.
